Essential

I used these through my entire thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. I replaced about 3/4 of the way through since they were wearing down. These provide extra support for your feet under heavy loads while hiking, but most importantly, they almost completely solve the problem of your toes banging against the toebox of your shoe when you're going downhill (which can mess up your toenails). Highly recommended -- throw out your hiking shoes' factory insoles, because these are what you need.